Four-wheel rear drive chassis



Aug. 4, 1931. M. M. BRocKwAY L817028 l FOUR-WHEEL REAR DRIVE CHASSISFiled March 7, 1927 Z5 Sheets-Sheet l i Z5 l l 31a/vanto@ 4( Murillo M.Bfockwgy Eg.

Aug. 4, 1931. M. M BRQCKWAY 17,817,028A

FOUR-WHEEL REAR DRIVE CHASSIS Filed March '7, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 azz1 l//IIl/llllll/ Murillo M. Brac/fw@ Aug.. 4, 1931. M. M. BRocKWAY1,817,028;

FOUR-WHEEL REAR DRIVE CHASSIS Filed March 7, 1927 5 sheets-snee@ 3 ,2,86'rali' gmanto@ Murillo M Brockway Patented Aug. 4, 1931 MURILLO M.Bnooxwev, or' BURBANK, CALIFORNIA rounfwnnm. REAR Dawn caesarsApplication led March 7, 1927. Serial No. 173,295.

This invention relates to a chassis of the type employing dirigiblymounted Wheels at one end and two airs of drive Wheels at the other endfor e ecting driving of the chassis.

Therehave been a large number of the six-Wheel type of chassis proposedand some of them are in use. Manyy of these prior six-Wheel chasses havebut tivo of the l0 wheels driven, whereas others have four Wheelsdriven. The four-Wheel drive is, of course, preferable because ot' the'greater effective tractive eii'ort that it can exert. More or lessdifficulty has been experienced 1i in constructing a four-Wheel drivechassis because the power must be delivered to each pair of drive Wheelsmounted in a manner to the other pair of drive Wheels, since the chassisdoes not at all times run along a plane surface and the drive Wheelsmust accommodate themselves to the grades and inequalities of theroadways.

An object of the invention is simplicity of construction.

A very important object is to provide a construction that can be readilyused in the form of an attachment to existing chasses.

A further Objectis to provide an yattacl'i- 3o ment that, Withoutalteration of the drive on existing two-Wheel drive trucks, Will convertthe two-Wheel drive into a fourfwheel drive. y v l A further object ofthe invention` is to adapt the four-Wheel drive to various types ofexisting two-Wheel drives.

Still'i'urtber objects and advantages will appear in the subjoineddetailed description.

The accompanying drawings illustrate several different forms in whichthe invention may be embodied.

Figure 1 is a fragmental plan view of chassis constructed in accordancewith the provisions of this invention.

Figure 2is an elevation, partly in section, from the line indicated by 22, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fra mental section of one of the differentialrive ,Wheels Figure 4 is an end view of the pinion support and itsdriving ange. I l

Figure 5 is a fragmental plan view of the chassis embodying theinvention in a different form;

Figure 6 is an elevation of Figure 5, partly in section, from the lineindicated by 6 6, Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmental section of one of the differentialdrive Wheels shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmental section of a modified form ofdifferential drive Wheel.

Figure 9 is an enlarged plan View, partly in section, from the lineindicated by 99,

v .Figure 2. to be free to move vertically with respect Y Figure 10 1san enlargedV detail, partly in section, of the differential gearing inFig ure 9.

Figure 11 is an enlarged broken' plan view, partly in section, from theline indicated by 11--11, Figure 6.

Figure 12 is an enlarged section of the differential gearing in Figure11.

First referring' to Figures 1 to 4 inelusive, 9 and l() for the form ofthe invcn tion illustrated thereby, there is provided a chassis frame 13of any suitable construction. The frame 13 is resiliently carried bysprings 14, 15. The s rings 14 are mounted on a support 16 an the sprins 15 are mounted ona support 17. In this instance, the support 16 isadead axle having rotatably mounted on its opposite ends drive Wheels 18of any suitable construction.

Any suitable form of brakes 19 are provided for the Wheels 18 and saidbrakes are Ynot illustrated nor `described in detail herein, since theirconstruction 4is well understood in the art relating to motor vehicles.Each of the Wheels 18 is provided with a sprocket Wheel 20 for drivingsaid wheel.,

The support 17, in this instance, constitutes the tubular housing for afull floating axle 21 and rotatably mounted by bearings 22 on each ofthe end portions 23 of the support 17 is a tubular pinion support 24 onwhich are rotatably mounted bevel pinions fixed to a sprocket wheel 31which is roa differential gearing, indicated'in generalA4 tatablymounted by a bearing 32 on the pinion support 24.

It will be readily understood that each of the wheels 29 isprovided-with differential gearing and that there is a sprocket wheel 31to drive each of the differential gearings. Each of the wheels 29 isrotatably mounted by bearings 321 on one of the pinion supports 24. Thesprocket wheels 31 drive the sprocket chains 33 which, in turn, drivethe sprocket wheels20.

The pinion sup ort 24 is suitably connected to the floating axle 21 and,in this instance, the construction for effecting the connectioncomprises recesses V34, in the outer end of each of the pinion supports24, and a driving flange 35 having fingers 36 engaging in the recesses34. l'The driving flanges 35 are keyed or otherwise secured to the axle21. y

Radius rods 37 are secured at oneend to the brake drum flanges, and.are' pivoted at 38 at their opposite ends to collars 39 which are shrunkon "or otherwise secured to the support 17. The floating axle 21, as is'customary, is in two sections and thesections are driven by a propellershaft 40 through by the character 41. Although the differential gearing41 illustrated in, figure 9 is of the double reduction type, it Will bereadily understood that either this type, or the worm, bevel gear, orinternal gear drive type may be employed instead of the double reductiontype. The differential gearing 41 comprises gears 42 fixed to the axle21, and pinions 43 in mesh with the gears 42 and rotatably mounted inthe spur gear 44. The spur gear 44 meshes with a spur pinion 45 mountedon a shaft 46 which is carried by the differential housing 47. The shaft46 is provided with a bevel gear 48 in mesh with a bevel pinion 49 onthe propeller shaft40.

The operation of the form of invention described above will beobviousand, is as follows: The propeller shaft 40'being vdriv-v en bythe motor, not shown, of the vehicle,

operates the axle 21 through the differential gearing 41 and the axle 21drives each of the differential gearings 26.- Thus, the differentialgearing 41 takes care of the difference in speeds between thewheel hubs29 and the differential gearings 26 take' care of any differencesinspeed between the wheel hubs 29 and wheels 18. I

Each of the hubs 29 and the mechanism connecting said hub to the axle 21is herein designated by the term differential wheel.

two-wheel drive chassis into a four-wheel drive, by the use of thisinvention, the wheels with which the full floating axle is equipped willbe removed and they difierential wheels will bc substituted therefor.The wheels thus removed will be mounted on the axle 16 and the sprocketwheels 20, 31 will be connected by the sprocket chains 33.

In the drawings the wheels 18 are shown positioned behind thedifferential wheels. But it is readily understood that the wheels 18 maybe positioned in front of the differential wheels when closer couplingis desired.

Now referring more particularly to Figures 5, 6, 7, 11 and 12 for theform of the invention illustrated thereby, the elements thatfunctionally correspond to' those described'above are indicated by thesame reference characters with the addition of the letter a. Theinvention is modified yso that it can be used with a chain drive. Thepropeller shaft is indicated at 40a and carries a pinion 49a. whichdrives a gear 44a. The

gear 44a drives, through differential geari ing 41a, a jack shaft 50which turns within a housing 51. The jack shaft 50 is provided atits-opposite ends with sprocket wheels 52V -which drive sprocket chainsTo the support 17a are secured the rearfends of the radius rods 54 whichare pivoted at 55 at their forward ends to collars 56 shrunk on orotherwise securcdto the housing 51. In this instance, the support 17a isa dead axle and each of the wheel hubs 29a is rotatably mounted bybearings 321a on said axle 17a. A pinion support24a is rotatably mountedon the wheel 29a and is driven by a sprocket wheel 57 mounted thereon.wheels 57 are driven by the sprocket chains 53. Rotatably mounted withinthe pinion The sprocket support 24a, which is tubular, are bevel pintobe understoodI that such Wheel and drivf ing elements are provided induplicate, .one set on each end of the axle 17a. The sprocket wheels 31adrive sprocket chains 3301 which, in turn drive sprocket wheels 20asecured Ato the wheels 18a. Excepting as above described, theconstruction illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and ,7, is the same as thatillustrated in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 to 7 operates asfollows: The propeller shaft 40a operates the jack shaft 50 thus turningthe sprocket wheels 52. Driving of the sprocket wheels 52 operates thepinion supports 21a, which through the differential gearings 26aoperates the wheels 2901l and the sprocket wheels 31a. Any differencesin speed between the wheels 29a is compensated by the differentialgearing 4160.

.Rotation of the sprocket wheels 31a causes thetype of axle that drivesthe differential.

wheel is what is termed full fioatingl, whereas in Figure ,8 the type ofaxle eniployed is termed live or semi-floating. In describing thedifferential wheelillust-rated in Figure 8, the elements'that'functionally correspond with those described above 1n connectionwith Figure 3 are indicated by the same reference characters with theaddition of the letter 6. In this instance, the pinion support 246 ismounted directly upon the axle 216 and the wheel hub 296 is rotatablymounted by bearings 3216 upon the pinion support 246. Rotatably mountedupon' the pinion support 246 are pinions 256 which constitute elementsof the differential gearing 266; The pinions 256 mesh with gears 276,286. The gear- 276 is fixed to the axle hub 296 and the gear 286 isfixed to a sprocket wheel 316. The axle 216 rotates in bearings 226carried by the support 176, which, in this instance, is the tubularhousing that partly encloses the axle 216.

to 3 will make clear how the operation takes place when a semi-floating.axle is employed vin place of the full floating axle 21 and differentialwheels like that illustrated in Figure 8 are substituted for the typeillustratcd in Figure 3. The'axle 216 drives the pinion support 246 andthis, through the differential gearing 266, drives the wheel 296 andsprocket Wheel 316. It. is to be understood that the axle 216 is` drivenby mechanism similar to vthat used in driving the axle 21, saidmechanismnot being described in detail and illustrated because it has alreadybeen described in connection with theform of the invention illustratedin Figures 1 to 3.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the different forms of theinvention have in common differential wheels carrying sprocket wheels,and other Wheels carrying sprocket wheels which are 'connected bysprocket chains to the first mentioned sprocket wheels. When it isdesired to apply the invention to an existing chassis provided with afull floating drive axle, the differential wheels of the typeillustrated in Figure 3 will be employed. If the existing chassis, towhich the invention is to be applied, has a semi-floating or live axle,wheels of the type illustrated in Figure 8 will be employed.Furthermore, if an existing chassis, to which the invention is to beapplied, has a dead axle on which the drive wheels are mounted,differential wheels of' the type illustrated in Figure 7 will be used.In any event, the drive wheels already present in existing chassis willbe removed from theiriaxles and placed ondead axles and` differentialwheels will be 'substituted in their place.

I claim: l

1. A four-Wheel drive chassis comprising a frame, supports, meansconnecting the supports with the frame, differential wheels eonnectedwith one of the supports, each of said differential wheels including adifferential gearing operably associated with the hub of said wheel toeffect @driving of said wheel,

other wheels,mounted on the other support, a third differential gearing,driving connections between the differential gearing and thedifferential gearings of said differential wheels, and drivingconnections between the respective differential gearings of saiddifferential wheels and said other wheels.

2. A four-wheel drive chassis comprising a frame, supports, meansconnecting the supports with the frame, differential wheels connectedwith one of the supports and each provided with a sprocket wheel drivenby the differential of the wheel, other wheels mounted on the othersupport and each provided with a sprocket wheel, sprocket chainsconnecting the first and second mentioned sprocket wheels, adifferential gearing, and driving connections between the differentialgearing and the differentials of the wheels.

3. A four-wheel drive chassis comprising a frame, supports, meansconnecting the supports with the frame, drive wheels connected with oneof the supports, differential gearing, pinion supports, drivingconnections between the differential gearing and `'the pinion supports,pinions rotatably mounted on the wheels mounted on the other framesupport,

first mentioned sprocket wheels to the last mentioned sprocket Wheels.

to transmit power to the pinion support to turn it, gear wheels *in meshwith the pinions, a grooved wheel fixed to one of said gear Wheels androtatably mounted relative to the 4. A four-Wheel Fdrive chassiscomprising /pinion support, a tire in the groove of the a frame, an axlehousing, means connecting grooved wheel for traction purposes, and a theaxle housing to the frame, difi'erential rotatably mounted sprocketfiXed t0 the other gearing supported by said housing, an axle in thehousing driven, by the differential gearing, pinion supports rotatablymounted on the axle housing, 'driving connections between the axle andthe pinion supports, drive Wheels rotatably mounted on the pinionsupports, pinions rotatably mounted on `the pinion supports, gearsmeshing with the pinions and fixed to the Wheels, other .gears meshingwith the pinions, sprocket Wheels fixed to the last mentioned gears, adead axle, means connecting the dead axle to the frame, drive Wheelsrotatably mountedon the dead axle, sprocket wheels fixed to the lastmentioned `drive Wheels, and sprocket chains connecting the firstmentioned sprocket wheels to the last mentioned sprocket Wheels.

5. A four-Wheel drive chassis comprising a frame, an axle'housing, meansconnecting the axle housing to the frame, differential gearing supportedby said housing, an axle journaled in the housing and driven'by thedifferential gearing, pinion supports fixed to the axle, drive Wheelsrotatably mounted on the pinion supports, pinions rotatably mounted onthe pinion supports, gears mesh-e ing with the pinions y,andiiixed tothe drive wheels, other gears meshing With the pinions, sprocket Wheelsfixed to the last mentioned gear wheel. Y Signed at Los Angeles, Calif.,this 7th day of February, 1927.

' i MURILLO M. BROCKWAY.

gears, a dead axle, means connecting the dead axle to the frame, driveWheels rotatably mounted on the dead axle, sprocket wheels fixed to thelast mentioned drive Wheels, and sprocket chains connecting the firstmentioned sprocket Wheels to the last mentioned sprocket Wheels.

6. A four-Wheel drive chassis comprising a frame, an-axl'e housing,means connecting the-axle housing to the frame, differential gearingsupported by said housing, an axle 1n the housing driven by thedifferential gearing, pinion supports connected with the axle, driveWheels rotatably mounted` on the pinion supports, pinions rotatablymounted on the pinion supports, lgears meshing with the pinions andfixedto the Wheels, other gears meshing with the. pinions, sprocketwheels fixed to the last mentioned gears, a dead axle, means connectingthe dead axle to the frame, drive wheels rotatably mounted on the deadaxle, sprocket wheels fixed to the last mentioned drive wheels, andsprocket chains connecting the first mentioned sprocket wheels to thelast -mentioned sprocket Wheels.

7. An attachment of the character described comprising a pinion support,pinions y

